Basil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Basil (disambiguation).
"Selasih" redirects here. For the Indonesian author, see Sariamin Ismail.
| Basil | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Ocimum |
| Species: | O. basilicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ocimum basilicum L. | |
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum (pronounced /ˈbæzɪl/ or, in the US, /ˈbeːzɪl/), of the familyLamiaceae (mints), sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries.
Basil, originally from India,[1] but thoroughly familiar to Theophrastus[2] and Dioscurides, is a half-hardy annual plant, best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in Southeast Asian cuisines of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and the cuisine of Taiwan. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.
There are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. The type used in Italian food is typically called sweet basil, as opposed to Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. X citriodorum) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), which are used in Asia. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil and a cultivar known as 'African Blue'.
Basil is originally native to India and other tropical regions of Asia, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years.[3]
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Etymology[edit]
The word basil comes from the Greek βασιλεύς (basileus), meaning "king",[4] as it has come to be associated with the Feast of the Cross commemorating the finding of the True Cross by St Helena mother of the emperor St. Constantine.[5] Alternatively the herbalist John Gerard noted of basil that those stung by scorpions would feel no pain if they ate of basil.[6] and Nicholas Culpepernotes of basil that it is "an herb of Mars and under the Scorpion, and therefore called Basilicon",[7] relating it to basilisk. The Oxford English Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in "some royal unguent, bath, or medicine". Basil is still considered the "king of herbs" by many cookery authors.[8]
Nomenclature and taxonomy[edit]
Most commercially available basils are cultivars of sweet basil. There are over 160 named cultivars available and more new ones every year. There are also a number of species sold. Here are some basils commonly sold in the USA.[3]
For a more complete list, see List of basil cultivars
- African blue basil (Ocimum basilicum X O. kilimandscharicum)
- Anise basil or Persian basil (Licorice basil || O. basilicum 'Licorice'||)
- Camphor basil, African basil (O. kilimandscharicum)
- Cinnamon basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon')
- Dark opal basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal')
- Globe basil, dwarf basil, French basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Minimum')
- Hoary basil (Ocimum americanum formerly known as O. canum)
- Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum, formerly known a O. sanctum)
- Spice Basil (a cultivar of Ocimum americanum, which is sometimes sold as Holy Basil)
- Lemon basil (Ocimum americanum)
- Lettuce leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Crispum')
- Purple basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Purpurescens')
- Queen of Siam basil (Ocimum basilicum citriodorum)
- Rubin basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Rubin')
Similar species[edit]
Culinary use[edit]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 94 kJ (22 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 2.65 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 1.6 g |
| Fat | 0.64 g |
| Protein | 3.15 g |
| Water | 92.06 g |
| Vitamin A equiv. | 264 μg (33%) |
| - beta-carotene | 3142 μg (29%) |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.034 mg (3%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.076 mg (6%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 0.902 mg (6%) |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.209 mg (4%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 mg (12%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 68 μg (17%) |
| Choline | 11.4 mg (2%) |
| Vitamin C | 18.0 mg (22%) |
| Vitamin E | 0.80 mg (5%) |
| Vitamin K | 414.8 μg (395%) |
| Calcium | 177 mg (18%) |
| Iron | 3.17 mg (24%) |
| Magnesium | 64 mg (18%) |
| Manganese | 1.148 mg (55%) |
| Phosphorus | 56 mg (8%) |
| Potassium | 295 mg (6%) |
| Sodium | 4 mg (0%) |
| Zinc | 0.81 mg (9%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database | |
Basil is commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavor, and what little flavor remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavor, like hay.
Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto—a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce. Its other main ingredients are olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts.
The most commonly used Mediterranean basil cultivars are "Genovese", "Purple Ruffles", "Mammoth", "Cinnamon", "Lemon", "Globe", and "African Blue". The Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves to thick soups (Chinese: 羹湯;pinyin: gēngtāng). They also eat fried chicken with deep-fried basil leaves. Basil (most commonly Thai basil) is commonly steeped in cream or milk to create an interesting flavor in ice cream or chocolates (such as truffles). The leaves are not the only part of basil used in culinary applications, the flower buds have a more subtle flavor and they are edible.
Thai basil is also a condiment in the Vietnamese noodle soup, phở.
Basil seeds[edit]
When soaked in water, the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts such as faluda, sherbet orhột é.
Folk Use[edit]
Basil is used for their medicinal properties in Ayurveda, the traditional medicinal system of India and Siddha medicine, a traditional Tamil system of medicine. They are also used as drinks in Southeast Asia.
Other basils[edit]
Several other basils, including some other Ocimum species, are grown in many regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a clove-like flavor that is, in general, stronger than the Mediterranean basils. The most notable is the holy basil or tulsi, a revered home-grown plant in India and Nepal. InChina, the local cultivar is called (Chinese: 九層塔; pinyin: jiǔ céng tǎ; literally "nine-level pagoda"), while the imported varieties are called (Chinese: 羅勒; pinyin: luó lè) or (Chinese: 巴西里; pinyin: bā xī lǐ), although [巴西里] often refers to a different plant—parsley.
Lemon basil has a strong lemony smell and flavor very different from those of other varieties because it contains a chemical called citral. It is widely used in Indonesia, where it is called kemangi and served raw, together with raw cabbage, green beans, and cucumber, as an accompaniment to fried fish or duck. Its flowers, when broken up, are a zesty salad condiment.
Chemical components[edit]
The various basils have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils that come together in different proportions for various breeds. The strong clove scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol, the same chemical as actual cloves.[citation needed] The citrus scent of lemon basil and lime basil reflects their higher portion of citral, which causes this effect in several plants including lemon mint, and of limonene, which gives actual lemon peel its scent. African blue basil has a strong camphor smell because it contains camphor and camphene in higher proportions. Licorice basil contains anethole, the same chemical that makes anise smell like licorice, and in fact is sometimes called "anise basil."
Other chemicals that help to produce the distinctive scents of many basils, depending on their proportion in each specific breed, include:[citation needed]
- citronellol (scented geraniums, roses, and citronella)[citation needed]
- linalool[11] (a flowery scent also in coriander)
- myrcene (bay leaf, myrcia)[citation needed]
- pinene (which is, as the name implies, the chemical that gives pine oil its scent)
- ocimene
- terpineol
- linalyl acetate
- fenchyl acetate
- trans-ocimene
- 1,8-cineole
- camphor octanane
- methyl eugenol
- eugenol
- beta-caryophyllene
Based on chemical content, basils can be divided into four groups:
- French; Ocimum basilicum, contains lower amounts of phenols
- exotic; contains methyl chavicol (40-80%)
- methyl cinnamate - ether 90%
- eugenol
Basil and oregano contain large amounts of (E)-beta-caryophyllene (BCP), which might have a use in treating inflammatory bowel diseases and arthritis. BCP is the only product identified in nature that activates CB2 selectively; it interacts with one of two cannabinoid receptors (CB2), blocking chemical signals that lead to inflammation, without triggering cannabis's mood-altering effects.[12]
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